Tamerson Z Carlisle, 3 Nov 1862

Buchanan Nov 4th 1862

Dear Mother

No doubt you will hear
of our misfortune by Mary's letter ere you receve this.
The fire broke out about 2 1/2 oclock
on Friday afternoon Oct. 31st. ____ from the sparks
in the Berghum mill next to the
machine shop burning in all 24 buildings
burning most of the business buildings.
our house + barn all that we have left is 4 feather
beds 5 quilts 11 chairs the best rag carpet very
little clothing. I have not a second change
of under clothes Mary Father + Bell the
are in the same condition we have
rented the cottage house on the hill
called the old Blanchard house, we cleaned
3 rooms to day will get family settled
one week. you know it wont take long
we saved one bedstead the cottage one
got another one of Mr. Hahn. John did not hear of the fire untill Saturday eve
he came down on Sabbath morn Gave me
$20. said to buy dresses with but have not spent

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it for that and told me to go to Mr. Black’s
shop and get + bedsteads. The people are
very kind to us we stay with different ones

Aunt Julia has forgotten how many things
you gave her, she gave me one pair of pillars
1 straw tick. 3 or 4 spoons that is all so far.
Sister Hoag the ministers wife gives as she
can + lends some things Pa and Bell did
not have one thing only what they had on
I am so tired that it is almost impossible for
me to write. I was at Mr. Dewey's during
the fire had been very sick with a
congestive chill. Sarah Chopin died in
Dowagwiac the funeral was there her remains were
brought to Niles for internment I went to the Cemetery
with Mrs. Dewey. I fainted while there was taken
so __ was but with difficulty I am usually
well now. we are well. Fannie will go to Niles
on Monday is going to set type I told her that
she could not go to Rochester. she declared
that she could go I told her that she should
work. gets $1 per week and board if she learns
rapidly can earn __, by spring I told her that
she should stay until spring do just as you
think best about coming home if you come
bring all that you can. anything will be
acceptible/ excuse this in haste

Tamerson

I have written previously about the Buchanan Fire of 1862.

Tamerson's friend John mentioned again.

Fannie ia learning a trade and living in Niles, MI. She was 17. She had wanted to go to Rochester, NY to stay with her uncle and aunt, Isaac and Charlotte (Carlisle) Ashley.

For more see: Carlisle Family Letters

Carlisle, Tamerson Z. (Buchanan, MI) to “Dear Mother”
[Hannah Glover Carlisle]. Letter. 4 November 1862. Digital Images 1-2.
Privately held by Charlotte Grabowski, Orlando, FL. 2012.
[Carlisle Family, Box #1, Correspondence, 1862,
Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. 2008.]